WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES magazine

WORLDCLASSANTIQUES.COM VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 CONTENTS

WISH YOU WERE HERE 3 Postcards over the last two centuries

NEED A PICK ME UP? HAVE A SODA POP! 5 The history of soda pop in North America

MARKETPLACE PICKS 8 Staff picks of current finds available on our website

HOW TO GET TOP BIDS FOR YOUR ANTIQUE AUCTION 9 Tips for getting top dollar for your items

SETTING RECORDS ON THE AUCTION BLOCK 10 Picasso, Ruhlmann and Hermès set new highs

RECOGNIZING HAND CARVED FURNITURE What to look for and how to tell the difference 11 between hand carving and machine carving

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME 13 Taking “The National Pastime” to the boards

WHERE TO OPEN YOUR ANTIQUE SHOP – AND WHAT TO SELL 15 What people are interested in and where to find them

TRIP PLANNER FOR ANTIQUES 17 Featured trip: Four stops on your way to Niagara-on-the-Lake

1 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE Luli the tin toy and other great finds 8

Hermès Birkin bag brings in the bucks 10

Baseball 13 board games

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 2 WISH YOU WERE HERE

BY JIM TRAUTMAN

re you a deltiologist? Not sure. Probably depiction of the poor and needy requiring Postcards were mailed to friends or family, like millions of others you sent or have food and clothing.” or in many instance purchased and kept for A saved some postcards over the years. one’s own scrapbook. A record of summer Deltiology is someone who collects postcards. There may have been controversy over vacations, family outings and special events. The first postcard appeared as a Christmas the message on the postcard, but others Memories stored away. Today those cards card in 1843. The same year that Charles recognized that postcards could be printed are tiny patches rubbed clear on the foggy Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and the story of and marketed with other scenes on the window of the past, fleeting glimpses of Ebenezer Scrooge was published. Sir Henry postcard. Photos could be employed to ordinary life, culture, the kind of everyday Cole, the director of London’s Victoria and decorate the front of the card. history not available in official documents. Albert Museum has been recognized as one Postcards were popular from the late of the greatest entrepreneurs in the history The new photographic technology was 1880’s to the 1960’s due to the low cost of of England. He was an inventor, and artist, embraced by towns, cities, even small villages, postage. Originally it was a penny hence the devised the Penny Post and planned the all eager to represent their finest public penny postcard. Even when normal postage Great Exhibition of 1851. buildings, streetscapes and community rates increased postcards remained at an festivities in the hopes of attracting tourists, affordable rate due to the simple fact each In November 1843, he looked at his mailing new residents and businesses. Sports teams, one is complete on two sides. No extra cost list and realized it had grown to several bands, theatre troupes and businesses due to the extra weight of writing paper. hundred people to whom he would have to jumped on the postcard bandwagon. send a letter. The list included friends, and Other photographic postcards popular businesses associates. No other media has offered such a wide with collectors feature adult and children at panoramic of life through the past 160 years work and play, baseball stadiums, football A photo pack of the sites of Los Angeles. as postcards. The photographic postcards stadiums, hockey arenas, politicians, famous Postage 1 and 1/2 cents.A photo pack of the were inexpensive to market and proved very people, amusement parks, county fairs, sites of Los Angeles. Postage 1 and 1/2 cents. profitable. Almost every small town drug world’s fairs or exhibitions, fires, ships, store commissioned a local photographer to aircraft, major holidays, construction projects This was an impossible task, so he take pictures of the main streets, post office, such as the Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower, commissioned the famous artist John Callcott government buildings, churches, parks and Panama Canal. The list is endless and there is Horsley to design a postcard with a simple special events including special patriotic ones. an affordable price for every collector. Most greeting that he could sign and send that postcards only sell for a few dollars. The would convey the message of the Christmas A 1900 postcard features the famous most valuable cards that sell for hundreds season. Horsley produced a three-panel, Orangeman’s Parade in various Canadian are photos of towns now gone or important hand coloured lithographed card. The simple cities. Another a 1900 Dominion Day Parade events. The postcard that features a captured postcard measured 3”x5” and depicted a with marching band followed by long rows of German U-Boat from World War I docked in scene straight out of “A Christmas Carol”. children dressed in their white Sunday best. Toronto Harbour on its way to destruction on The back of the card indicates it was sold at W. the Great Lakes sells in the $150 range. A rare The centre panel featured a three generation, Erskine Druggist, Orangeville, Ontario. one time event. middle class family seated around a table eating and drinking. The left panel depicted The sales of postcards increased as salesman By the late 1800’s many postcards became feeding the hungry during the Christmas would visit each town. Many images were for more colourful thanks to the new process season and the right panel, providing clothing a specific city or town while other postcards of chromolithography. It was a revolutionary to the needy. The greeting in the centre was were generic scenes and the name of the printing style. Rather than being limited to one “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” town was added to suit. One such generic colour, it allowed for successive applications card is of a young couple sitting at a piano of colour. The images on postcards began The first Christmas card was not warmly kissing and the caption states, “I’m Taking to reflect the new multi coloured style. The received by everyone, according to Mary Piano Lessons” and the name of the town was J.S. Campbell and Sons of Toronto and G.W. Catchpole, art archivist in the art and filled in. A card that appeared after World War Clarke of Montreal were two major producers photography section of the Library and II was of a grocery store and indicated it was of postcards. Other Canadian companies Archives of Canada. “The card ruffled feathers the new “self-serve” store filled with shopping were Warwick Brothers and Rutter, The McCoy in Victorian society with its depiction of carts to make it easier to pile up the great Printing Company, The W.G. MacFarlane a family celebration that included a child savings available. Company. The largest worldwide producer drinking wine. Others were outraged at the of postcards was the Raphael Tuck and Sons

3 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE A photo pack of the sites of Los Angeles. Postage 1 and 1/2 cents.

Company. Raphael Tuck and his wife founded the company in London, England in the 1866. In the United States it was the Stecher Lithograph Company of Rochester, New York.

The North American companies cornered the postcard market during World War I due to the simple fact that German postcard companies were prevented from the major markets due to the war embargo. When World War I ended the major competitors that had been on the losing side never recovered to regain their market share. 1930’s postcard of The Lake In The Clouds – Banff National Park. Sadly, the postcard according to a recent article is on a severe decline. Due to the internet and the high cost of postage sales and the mailing of postcards has reached a new low. The US Postal Service estimated that about 1 billion postcards were sent in 2013. That is a decline of 4.4 million from 2012. Nancy Rosen, President of the Ephemera Society of America attributes the decline to several factors. “Social media definitely decreases the number of paper missives being sent. Penmanship skills have diminished. Even sending postcards from travel locales is getting to be a challenge as they don’t seem readily available. Postcards are an artifact of the past, when they were a primary vehicle for communications among friends, lovers and relatives.” A 1914 postcard of the Royal Medical Corps in battle. With the decline of sending postcards it becomes even more interesting to the collector to attend shows, yard sales, flea markets, second hand stores and even check stores that are closing. Not as many are being sent, but in the past 160 years the supply and variety for collectors is endless.

Jim Trautman writes on antiques and collectibles for World Class Antiques, The Wayback Times, Antique Week and other publications. He has been featured on CBC tv shows on the history of sports cards, games and other collectibles. Working on a new book on the history of the early Xplanes and the test pilots that flew them. 1930’s view of Akron, Ohio Airport with airship.

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 4 NEED A PICK ME UP?

BY JIM TRAUTMAN

he history of soda pop is a fascinating The local area is home to the famous Canada chapter in the cultural history of North Dry Ginger Ale Company, which was founded T America. Today, it is sold in grocery stores, by John J. (Jack) McLaughlin. The McLaughlin gas stations, corner stores, vending machines, family’s other business was General Motors of and of course, drug stores. The history of soda Canada. He, like so many of the others, was a pop began around the time of the US Civil pharmacist and chemist by trade. Starting in War. One sad fact about wars is that they do 1890 he opened a small factory in Toronto to increase the knowledge regarding how to treat bottle water and soda water. The soda water wounds of the body and the mind. was sold to drug stores which employed it to mix with fruit juices and other flavoured After the War there was a new market for extracts. various medicinal products and it would not be until the 1920’s that there would be any McLaughlin spent his spare time meaningful regulation on what could be sold experimenting with various types of flavours over the counter. Drug stores began to appear searching for his own unique type of extract in large numbers in towns, as well, as large to mix with his soda water. Eventually he cities. As the population moved West the developed a drink made with ginger and “Traveling Medicine Show” began to visit. It was called it Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale. There the high point of the year, along with the circus were already many types of ginger ale on the coming to town. market, but his chemical formula developed a variety that was not as sweet as the other Each traveling show had its own magic brands, hence the “dry”. elixir to sell to the gathered crowds. The pitch was usually the same: the product The Canada Dry Ginger Ale began to be would cure everything from hernias, marketed in 1904. Jack McLaughlin wanted seizures, croup, consumption, corns, to be different from the other manufactures fallen arches, rusty nail punctures and his goal was to not just sell to drug stores, and much more including being but directly reach a large mass audience “down” or as we know it in 2015, of consumers. For that he required a large depression. Testimonial letters supply of high quality water to mix with his were read out to the crowd as ginger ale formula. Part of the marketing plan part of the plan to increase sales. was to create a slogan that set his brand apart Who really knew if someone had from the others. written those letters? Another reason for the development of After searching he found the perfect area, not these elixirs was the push by the only to draw the vast amounts of required Temperance Movement beginning water, but to be able to conveniently ship into to accelerate. If you lived in a the Toronto plant. In 1911 he built a pumping “dry” area it did not take long to station in Cataract at the headwaters of the discover that the medicine gave Credit River that connected to the rail line. He one a nice pick me up. was able to pump his water and then have it transported easily to the Toronto bottling In many towns, and cities, in plant. He even gave a name to the water taken the late 1880’s druggists or from the Credit River - “White Mountain Spring pharmacists began to concoct new Water”. The water of the Credit River close to drinks that were marketed as pick Caledon flowed through rocks that were able me ups. Of course the most famous to produce pure and crystal clear water. The Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John local area is honeycombed with many springs Stith Pemberton. He stirred up the still producing water. first glass of what was to become named Coca-Cola in May 1886 at Jacob’s With this seemingly unlimited supply of water, Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Pepper, McLaughlin was able to reach beyond the was a product of Waco, Texas. Both corner drug stores into direct marketing Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper have their own including baseball parks, and grocery stores museums where one can explore the history giving people the ability to take Canada Dry of the drink and the company. The museums Ginger Ale to the beach and picnics during the are located in the cities where each drink was summer time. The first Canada Dry bottle. invented. Explore their websites.

5 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE HAVE A SODA POP!

In the 1920’s consumers found that Augustin Thompson of Salem, Massachusetts, purchased in bottles or new machines made it even though a bottle of Canada Dry was was sold as, “nerve food, helping those possible to create it in the drug store comparatively costly at 35 cents, it was the suffering from nervous exhaustion.” Originally perfect mixer to kill the taste of the bootleg it was sold to be taken by the spoonful before Coca-Cola became the major developer in liquor that was sold during Prohibition. In meals. The famous Boston Red Sox baseball setting the tone and putting their brand into the 1930’s the company put out two other player Ted Williams appeared in its advertising the public realm. In 1900 as a forerunner to varieties Tonic Water and Club Soda. especially on metal signs along the highway the coming Age of the Automobile and the and in drug stores. drive-in restaurant, Coca-Cola marketed its Advertising was focused on the fact that cola syrup to drug stores. Many drug stores Canada Dry Ginger Ale was “The Champagne As the original inventors of the product then began to provide curb service for horse of Ginger Ale”. It cost a few cents more, but it brought in business partners, it became and buggy drivers. An employee would take was the best on the market. It hit home with apparent that to maximize profits these soda your order, go in and mix the Coca-Cola drink, those wanting to impress and demonstrate pop drinks had to move out from the drug and then carry it out to the waiting occupants to friends and guests that they served only store fountain and into mass markets. In 1892 of the carriage. the best. the metal bottle cap crown was invented along with the machinery to turn the caps While each of the soda pop drinks were sold The label on the bottle pictured a map of out by the thousands. This coupled with the as pick me ups, Dr. Pepper focused on the Canada. After all, didn’t everyone associate introduction of the mass produced glass female customer. Their ads ran, “Vim springs Canada with not only cold, but crisp, clean bottle made it possible to produce the soda from within, rest won’t restore energy, but water? An ad on the back page of Life pop in large factories and begin to market and food will. Dr. Pepper is the jiffy quick energy Magazine in 1937 stated “Canada Dry was develop a company brand. In addition, the lift. The bottle cap contained the numbers 10- famous for its gay sparkle, and its mellow syrup for the soda pop could still be employed 2-4. The three numbers indicated when it was flavour alight with the tang of sunny Jamaica in drug stores for customers that wanted it time for a Dr. Pepper. ginger.” To emphasise even more how clean fresh on the spot. Carbonated water could be SEE SODA NEXT PAGE it was, the ad told how it was inspected by chemists 14 times during the manufacturing process. It was the drink served in many hospitals to prevent nausea. And if there was any doubt of its superior quality, it was served on the Queen Mary. The other selling point was that since this was the time of the Great Depression it was at its lowest price ever.

Another ad in 1939 screamed “Ginger Snap, Drink Canada Dry Ginger Ale - It’s Gingervating”.

In the 1960’s it was one of the first companies to put out sugar free drinks and move from bottles into cans.

The McLaughlin Family eventually sold the company. It still bears the name Canada Dry, but is now owned by the parent company of Dr. Pepper and Snapple.

Later, Pepsi Cola was invented by Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist from North Carolina and N.C. Ward, a chemist in San Francisco devised Orange Crush which in the beginning contained real pieces of orange. In 1929 Charles Leiper Grigg of St. Louis, Missouri brought onto the market Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon Lime Soda, which became known as 7Up. The little bubbles on the 7Up bottle were a sign that if you drank it, you would become happy. This was very possible since Illustration of vintage advertising, the November 1963 back cover of the it contained Lithium. Moxie, invented by Dr. Boy Scout magazine Boys’ Life featured a 7 Up ad with racing cars.

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 6 SODA continued

As competition for the customers’ money heated up, companies issued was the company give away items, conducted contests, and with the advent of radio, brand putting out the soda pop advertising increased. Like today’s television shows, radio subliminal message to shows required sponsors to pay the bills. Pepsi Cola, which had been have a cold soda pop. purchased by the Loft Candy Company was quick off the mark with its radio jingle - “Nickel Nickel” indicating the low price for a bottle of Pepsi After World War II, Cola. This was followed by Dr. Pepper with, “Drink a bite to eat at 10,2,4 - with wages increasing, the friendly Pepper-Upper.” autos mass produced, and gasoline cheap, But, it was the Coca-Cola Company that hit it big with the most iconic the “Golden Age of figure of all time Santa Claus. Starting in 1931, their illustrator Haddon the Automobile” had Sundblom created the Santa Claus image which is still with us today. arrived. As a kid I Sundblom would move on to create the Quaker Oats Man, the package remember gas wars art for Maxwell House Coffee, and the advertising for Packard cars, and full service, my but it would be his depiction of Santa Claus that would make him father operated a famous. The Christmas advertising campaign ran for 40 years. One Philips 66 gas station. year featuring Santa Claus playing with electric trains, another year We asked you to holding a bottle of Coca-Cola, and even being caught by a little boy as step out of your car he looks in the ice box for a cold one. In recent years the company has while we vacuumed resurrected those long ago images on collector cans and packages the inside. With the and brought back many of the original images including the Polar Bear. advent of the Sunday Advertising has always featured groups having a wonderful time while drive and vacation drinking a soda pop beverage. trips, more and more fast food drive-ins Each company appeared. Each drive- attempted to keep in provided kid friendly, their product before inexpensive food, hot A Coca-Cola ad shortly after the end of World War II. the public eye. In the dogs, hamburgers, fries past one hundred and of course a soda pop to wash it all down. Drive-In restaurants had years, innumerable agreements with specific soda pop companies and only served that items have been given brand. These agreements have continued on in 2012. away as premiums. They have included A&W started in the 1930’s and by 1970 had over 2,400 drive in special edition bottles, restaurants located across North America. The feature of A&W was the calendars, trays, pencil car hop who took your order and brought back the food on a tray which holders, bottle neck hooked on the car window. A 1970 ad for A&W features a young woman hangers, baseball in a fashionable outfit much like an airline stewardess. “A&W Root Beer, picture cards, movie brewed with pure natural ingredients and true draft flavour, so good stars and during World with food.” And of course one could then purchase their own heavy draft War II a large series of root beer mug to take home. A&W became famous for the combination Allied aircraft bottle of ice cream and its root beer to create a float. neck hangers card.. The set was designed With the internet, one just has to Google to find thousands of sites by the famous artist devoted to soda pop. The book on Coca-Cola Collectibles runs to over At Woolworths’ 5&10 soda fountain in 1949 one could William Heaslip. The 600 pages. Several pages are devoted to Coca-Cola trays that were have a lime or grape rickey for 15 cents or an ice cream soda or just a plain Coca-Cola. complete 4 sets of only issued in certain markets such as Canada or Mexico. Many of aircraft sell in the the companies marketed items to each specific area and so it makes thousands of dollars. Point of sale items have been a major part of the collecting soda pop items very interesting. Many soda pop items have advertising campaigns, as well. Records with famous singers, have been cross over collector appeal. Into sports, train sets, advertising, bottles, issued and now one can find Santa Claus on the sleeve of Christmas Christmas, in fact, it is unlimited. Many brands have their own collector Carol records. From the 1930’s to 1970’s restaurants and soda fountains clubs, magazines, annual conventions. When the television show Mad posted cardboard ads featuring hot dogs, fries, and hamburgers along Men returns watch it to see how the process for developing adverting with a bottle of Coca-Cola, or Pepsi Cola. Many items were issued with for specific products is undertaken. the local high school or college team logo and a section to add the latest football, basketball, baseball or hockey scores. The competition became With Prohibition arriving John Somerset wrote in the June 1920 issue of so intense that companies provided stores with a metal door push to Drug Topics, “the bar is dead, the fountain lives, and soda is king!” put on the screen door. As you entered and pushed on the door, there

7 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE MARKETPLACE PICKS Featured items for sale on WorldClassAntiques.com Get them today before they’re gone!

Antique Medical Instrument - Spring Lancet for General Bloodletting Circa 1800 – 1860

Antique single bladed spring-loaded lancet in excellent condition. It was made sometimes “The Novices “ Original Painting by John Newby (b.1942–d. 2013). Painted in 1988. during 1800s to 1860s, and was used for general bloodletting – the opening of an artery, or more John Newby, often compared to Norman Rockwell, was a well-known Canadian artist that commonly a vein. The case is made of brass and drew and painted for more than 55 years. the blade is steel. The spring works like it’s new. It comes in a custom-made old box but not original The painting, professionally framed under glass, is in excellent condition and ready to to the instrument. hang. Comes with the original dealer price label.

Museum Quality Licinius I “Rated 3” Lehmann Wind-up Tin Toy Gray color, New Old Stock - Her name is Luli FRONT/ IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG, laureate head right. BACK/ IOVI CONSERVATORY Jupiter standing left, chamlys across left Vintage Lehmann clockwork jumping tin bird in original box, unused shoulder, leaning on scepter. Victory on globe in right hand, eagle - new old stock (NOS). Each colorful bird is made of tin with some with wreath to left. B to right, dot SIS dot in ex. Siscia Mint. Struck plastic parts and comes in its own original transparent plastic box, 315-316 AD. Ref: RIC VH Siscia 17, page 424, VERY RARE B— R3. including with its wind-up key. Made in Western Germany in the late 21 mm and 3.5 grams. 1960s up to the mid. 1970s.

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 8 Selling your antiques and collectibles online is a convenient and easy way to reach a global market of buyers. But in order to get top dollar for your items, HOW TO GET you need to have the best possible presentation. Before you list, take the time to prepare with these tips.

Do your research before listing. If you’re a novice collector, know that informed bidders love it when antiques sellers don’t bother to research their items before putting them up for sale! Know what you have and what TOP BIDS your item is worth. Get an appraisal if needed from an unbiased expert who does not want to buy your object. Use books on antiques and collectibles, websites, forums, and conversations with other dealers and sellers to FOR YOUR establish what you’re selling before you make an effort to auction it off. Collect your notes together and write a clear and detailed description. Think like the buyer: what would you want to know about the item? Try to describe the item as if you were speaking to someone on the phone. Consider even listing the age, era, original retail price and place of purchase (if known). List ANTIQUE any stains, cracks, faults, or other damage. List the item in its proper category; use a sub-category if possible to be even more specific. (If you do not find the proper category in the World Class Antiques database, use our Suggest a Category feature to propose a new category of products).

AUCTION Use keywords in your listing title to make your item stand out. Compare the following item headlines: “Antique Clock” versus “Gorgeous Walnut 1865 Antique German Lenzkirch 2-Weight Wall Clock.” Which is more likely to grab your attention? Use descriptive words to encourage buyers to click on your listing.

One of the most important factors for the success of an online auction is the photography. The seller wants to see what he or she is bidding on. Choose a room or location with good light, and using a contrasting or white background, take several high-quality photos, showing the piece from different angles. Be sure to photograph any imperfections or damage as well as unique features. (Before uploading, read about our Image Requirements for Marketplace Listings).

Solid research combined with a great headline, description and photos will ensure your listing draws the attention and bids of interested buyers. Read on for specific tips based on the type of antique or collectible you’re selling.

Specific tips for clothing:

Identify the fabric. Some buyers collect vintage clothing, others like to wear it. If the care tag text has worn away, ask a cleaner or fabric store if they can identify the fabric. If the care tags are still legible, note the cleaning instructions. Describe how the item feels when it is worn if you can, and note Ancient Roman Gold Hoop Earring - 150 AD the measurements (vintage sizes are wildly different from modern ones!) Since many buyers purchase for nostalgia purposes, when describing the item, include any unique facts or the story behind the piece. Before photographing the item, repair any buttons or loose threads, and use a mannequin if possible.

Specific tips for vintage toys:

Specific tips for jewelry: Sometimes, the trickiest part is properly identifying the toy. Often the item lacks the original box, or the maker name, logo, or other graphics have been When it comes to jewelry, lingo matters. worn off by years of play. Listing an “old metal toy truck” likely won’t result in Learn the terminology, because if you a bidding war, so it’s important to do your research before you list to make it don’t know what something is specifically worthwhile. There are excellent price guides and reference books available called, or what a mark means, you may use on the subject; if you’re still stuck, try asking for help in one of the many incorrect terms and miss potential buyers. online forums, discussion boards, or social media groups. Be specific, and The ideal jewelry listing provides a good include a photo, and you might be rewarded with an ID, and maybe even a deal of information, preferably in bullet value, before you attempt to sell. points, using short sentences or phrases. Be sure to spell out the piece’s detail, Specific tips for furniture: qualities, and don’t forget the advantages – the buyer will get a lot of attention wearing Shipping furniture can be expensive, so consider offering local pick-up or drop- it, it will add value to their collection, it is off options in your auction. If you are shipping, be sure to research actual costs the perfect anniversary gift, etc! beforehand, so you don’t lose money (too low) and potential bidders aren’t scared off (too high). When listing, be sure to clean the item up as much as possible before photographing, in terms of surface dirt, cobwebs, and the like.

9 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE t is no surprise that when a Picasso hits the auction rooms the stakes are going to Ibe high. But when the famous painting, Women of Algiers, by the revolutionary Spanish artist came up on the block on May SETTING 11th at Christie’s in New York, it broke an all- time record. Selling for $179M (US), Picasso’s Women of Algiers is the most expensive painting to be sold at auction. The Women of Algiers is an historical piece RECORDS that reflects the uprising of the French colony in Algiers at the time. Part of a 15-work collection that Picasso created from 1954 to 1955, this painting pays tribute to his dear friend, Henri Matisse, and to the style of Cezanne and El Greco: ON THE “This is an absolutely blockbuster picture - it’s one of the most exciting pictures that we’ve seen on the market for 10 years,” said Philip Hoffman, founder and CEO of the Fine Art Fund Group. AUCTION The Women of Algiers wasn’t the only record- setting sale at the Looking Forward To The Past auction. Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture, Pointing Man, set its own record and sold for $141.3M. It was a great day for Christie’s, selling BLOCK 34 of 35 lots for a total of $706 million.

Next up is a pair of beautiful French Art Deco chairs by famous French Designer Émile- Jacques Ruhlmann (1879–1933). Known for using rare and exotic woods in his furniture, Ruhlmann is considered one of the finest furniture designers of the 18th century. A perfectionist who spared no expense, Ruhlmann would make sure every masterpiece was perfect before leaving the cabinetmaking shop, even if it meant starting over from scratch.

These magnificent macassar ebony and silvered bronze Cannelé armchairs were created for the Viville-Yardley Showroom, Paris, circa 1926, and were later housed in The Toledo Museum of Art since 1970. They sold for $81,250 (US) on June 11, 2015 at Bonhams in New York.

Ruhlmann’s furniture can be found in museums like The Metropolitan Museum of Art History.

Bringing things back into the 20th century, we Pablo Picasso’s Les femmes d’Alger. Photo credit: Christies. turn to Christie’s Hong Kong, where this time, we find a rare Hermès Birkin bag that sold at auction for HK$1.72m or $222,942 (US).

Some people are calling this bag the most expensive to be sold at auction; however, just last year a Himalayan Hermès Birkin bag sold for $432,000.

Named after British actor and singer, Jane Birkin, each bag takes 48 hours of painstaking craftsmanship to create. Christie’s describe this bag “an exceptional shiny fuchsia porosus crocodile diamond Birkin 35 with 18K white gold and diamond hardware.”

This was just one bag from a lot of 300 limited editions that sold on June 1, 2015. Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann Art Deco Armchairs. Rare Hermès Birkin Bag.

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 10 RECOGNIZING HAND CARVED FURNITURE

BY WAYNE JORDAN

n our age of flat-panel, knock-down (KD), goal. After all, even in the Eighteenth Century across the piece, or are there slight assemble-at home furniture it’s hard to a shop had to make a profit. variations? Remember, variations are the key Iimagine the amount of work that went into to identifying hand carving. creating the hand carvings on pre-industrial Efficiency demanded specialization. If one age furniture. Stroll through an antique mall man excelled at drawer making, that was his The Nineteenth Century ushered in the on a Sunday afternoon, and you will hear job: he made all the drawers for everything. Industrial Revolution. Furniture makers - shoppers “ooh-ing and ahh-ing” the Victorian He may not have been the man that carved along with every other industry - welcomed and Empire period furniture, exclaiming the claw feet or made the chair rails; those the age of machinery and the increased “Look at this hand carving! Isn’t it Bee-Yoo- were different specialties. Sometimes, in a productivity that came along with it. The Ti-Full?” chair making shop, one man might make the rise of factory production led to jobs and a front stretchers and another would make population that had the means to purchase The modern misunderstanding of “hand the crest rails. But, in any given set of chairs, the newly produced goods. Middle class carving” appears to be more or less all the crest rails will have been made by the homes needed to be furnished, and small universal. I recently performed an eBay same worker and would look like a matched furniture shops gave rise to large, well- search on the phrase “hand carved set. If you’re looking at a set of 8 antique equipped furniture factories that produced sideboard” which returned 20 results. Only chairs and one doesn’t quite seem to match moderately priced furniture. one of the items offered was actually hand- the others, don’t let the dealer tell you that a carved; the other nineteen were machine- “different worker in the same shop made that Of all the machines that revolutionized carved. How can one tell the difference? For chair”. Didn’t happen; you’re not looking at a furniture making two in particular had those of you with inquiring minds, I offer the matched set, but rather a “patched” set. significant impact: the steel die cutter (about following primer on how to tell the difference 1870) and the spindle carver (about 1817, between hand carving and machine carving. A key element in handmade furniture is the with variations over the next 100 years). appearance of speedy, casual craftsmanship. Such machines rough-cut the carvings into I’ve found that an effective way to analyze In hand craftsmanship, there are the wood, which then had to be “cleaned up” and date any antique is to compare the inconsistencies; what today might be called to remove wood chips, etc. clues offered by the piece with a history- “quality control issues”. But, in the Eighteenth technology timeline. Century, such inconsistencies were the Early spindle carvers were anchored to a norm. Chair spindles may have varied slightly floor or workbench and a worker moved If we know a bit about the results that can in diameter; carving may not have been the wood around the cutter to create a be achieved by using different materials mirror-matched on both sides of a cabinet, design. Later carving machines anchored and techniques and when those materials and there might have been differences in the wood, and the carving machine moved and techniques were in use (I call these the contours of carved ornamentation. No around the wood to create a design. Some “technology markers”), then it’s fairly easy attempt was made to achieve perfection; of these machines were quite complicated: to date a piece. Knowing how “carving” is rather, functionality and beauty was the goal. King Manufacturing of Grand Rapids MI achieved on furniture can help antique When His Lordship took delivery of his new used a machine that could cut six identical enthusiasts more accurately date their finds furniture, he didn’t expect mass-produced panels simultaneously. By the turn of the and avoid over-paying for what is being sold consistency because he’d never seen it. 20th Century, machines such as the Salstrom as “hand-carved” furniture. Conversely, carver took up entire factory floors with their knowledgeable pickers will be able to identify The key to identifying real hand carving is to carving capacity. Machinery manufacturers real hand-carving and pick up some good look for these inconsistencies. (Jordan, for one, in England) touted as much buys from less knowledgeable sellers. as 60% savings in labor costs. Over time, it Look at the carvings up close, and from a was found that the actual savings was closer Let’s begin our journey by following a distance. Does the carving on the right side to 35%. history-technology timeline from about of the cabinet match the left side, exactly? the Mid-Eighteenth Century, when English If so, it’s not hand carving, because hand In the late 18th Century, spindle carvers furniture was coming into it’s heyday with carving will have inconsistencies. A carved were used to create ornamentation that the release of Thomas Chippendale’s leaf might be formed differently on each side, could be purchased in bulk and simply glued catalog. In Chippendale’s time, furniture was or raised slightly higher. Don’t just look; rub onto a surface to give the impression of hand-made. There were machines of course your hand across the ornamentation. Does carving. Manufacturers could take a basic (lathes come to mind) but machines weren’t it feel the same on both sides? Look at the flat furniture panel and adorn it in many used for mass production. Making furniture carving with a magnifying glass: can you see different ways to create a variety of furniture was a group effort, but efficiency was the tool marks? Are the tool marks consistent styles.

11 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE Die cutters consisted of steel plates with a design scribed into them. The die’s design had very sharp cutting edges, and when the die was forced by steam pressure onto a wooden panel, the die would cut away wood to create the desired design. The most recognizable die-cut design is found today in what are called “press-back” chairs, usually made of oak, to accompany a dining set.

The availability of cheap ornamentation and lower labor costs resulted in the over- adorned look of Victorian furniture. It was easy to “fancy up” a piece with a little glue and ready-made ornaments. Manufacturers could produce furniture that, at first glance, resembled the hand-made creations that M’Lord and M’Lady had in their Manor House. Such furniture was a source of pride for the upwardly mobile Middle Class.

Here’s the importance of all this to today’s antique furniture buyer: Queen Victoria began her reign in 1837, well past the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and about 20 years past the invention of the spindle carver. She died in 1901, at least 20 years after steel die cutters came into Hand carved chest note variations general use. So, an overwhelming majority of in carved leaves on either side. the furniture made during the Victorian era Photo: Antiques.com was machine carved, not hand carved. When you see an ad for a “Hand Carved Victorian Sideboard”, don’t believe it. Check it very carefully before handing over your money Sample because chances are very high that it isn’t Salstrom carvings hand-carved at all.

Single spindle carver from 1897 Strolinger catalog. Encyclopedia of Furniture Photo: New York Public Library. Materials Trades and Techniques, Clive Edwards 2000, Ashgate pub. .

Victorian sideboard with applied ornamentation. Salstrom wood carver. Press back chair. Photo: Cherishedpossessions.com

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 12 TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME BY JIM TRAUTMAN

1952 baseball card game.

1953 Line Drive Baseball Game.

1948 Baseball game made by Parker Brothers. The box art is so fantastic even has a hot dog vender in the picture.

Baseball Hall of Fame Bob Feller Baseball game (1955).

The Challenge the Yankees game was on the market for only two years (1963-64). It is 1968 All-Star Baseball Game by Cadaco. Each year player one of the most discs would be sold to update the game. The discs were for valuable baseball each individual player and contained information on how board games many home runs - strike outs - walks for the previous year. - in excellent For pitchers it included their total number of wins - losses, condition - strike outs, hits allowed, walks. $2,000.

13 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE he game of baseball is “The National 1935, O-Pee-Chee of Canada offered, “send in major factor is the picture cards with which the Pastime”, but when was it invented? The five wrappers and receive a baseball game.” game is played. 25 New York Yankees including T exact date has been open to debate for Other companies had the same type offer. It Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra and over 150 years. Whenever it was, it was soon has been felt that in one way the companies others from that fantastic team were included. followed by the first baseball board and card wanted to create demand for the player cards The 25 opposition players are made up of game. Information indicates that a crude hand or wrappers as the free offer encouraged All-Stars including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and drawn cardboard baseball game was registered individuals to basically return the material for others. The 50 picture cards make the game with the U.S. Patent Office in 1871. The board something else. This type of offer continued very desirable, especially in a complete set. features a green playing field with fielders and into the 1980’s. batters. The top game of the prewar World The other major game of the period was War I era was manufactured by McLoughlin After World War II some game covers began CADACO All-Star Baseball. This company was Brothers. This Zimmer’s Base Ball Game is to feature the new announcers of television. in Chicago, Illinois started in 1941, and their valued at over $30,000. Dizzy Dean the famous pitcher of the St. Louis game was marketed through toy stores. It had Cardinals was one such former player. He been developed by former baseball player Since 1871, there have been several hundred was featured on the front cover behind the Ethan Allan. Each year new player discs were versions of baseball games sold in various microphone. sold, but the game board stayed the same. venues department stores, toy stores, at the In fact it was Wrigley Field, Chicago - home of various baseball stadiums, and some as mail Game board covers and graphics in the 20th the Chicago Cubs. As well as new discs, every in giveaways for so many baseball card gum Century were miniature scenes of the ball year the previous player stats for batters and wrappers or other products. park. The 1950 Parker Brothers Baseball Game pitchers were upgraded. This aspect gave the featured a ball park scene with a grass playing game a true baseball feel to it. If a player only In the beginning, the games were very generic, field, fans in the stands and even vendors hit a few home runs it would be represented on but as baseball became more popular in the selling soda and hot dogs. The image of the his disc. If he struck out many times it would be early 20th Century, various game companies men in their seats was priceless. They were so represented. and the baseball teams themselves began wearing coats and ties and fedoras. to recognize that marketing would increase Baseball card games were issued in packs of sales and interest fans to come out to the ball 1950 brought the Jim Prentice “Electric baseball cards, which in 1968 included a stick park. On board games and card games player Baseball”. “One ad appeared on the back of gum. The Topps Gum Company of Brooklyn, names began to appear on the game boxes. cover of the September 14, 1950 issue of New York released a 33 card set. One card was The popular baseball brothers Paul and Lloyd the Treasure Chest comic book. On the front inserted in each pack of gum. Big name players Waner are pictured on the front of the baseball was “Here Comes Harmon”, referring to the were represented such as Carl Yastrzemski, board game that bears their name - Waner’s famous Michigan football player. The back was (Boston Red Sox,)( Roberto Clemente, Baseball Game. Paul was known as “Big Poison” a full page ad for Jim Prentice. Full of sports Pittsburgh Pirates,) and (Harmon Killebrew,) and Lloyd, who was younger, was “Little Poison.” hyperbole: “True to Life Action Electric Baseball Minnesota Twins. The front of each card Both played the majority of their careers with Game.” “Big League Thrills - Right in Your featured a photo of the player and whether the the Pittsburgh Pirates and are in the Baseball Home.” Fellas! Get Up A League, Play A Series card represented a single, homerun or out. Hall of Fame. This game would sell in the $800- of Games. Each fellow represents his favourite $1,000 range. team. Set up a schedule, with double headers, In 1969, the New York Mets won the World keep scores and standings.” That is the beauty Series against the Baltimore Orioles. The Many of the early ball games are difficult to of the baseball game it can be played all season following year, the Gil Hodges Pennant Fever date, but there are some clues. A game where long and even when the snow and cold winds Baseball Game hit the stores. Hodges had it is “Base Ball”, written as two words, is usually outside are howling. taken the Mets who had finished in 9th place pre 1920. Other clues can be found by looking in 1968 to the World Series victory in 1969, at the uniforms, bats, and gloves to try to The Marx Toy Company of 200 gaining them the moniker `The Miracle Mets`. determine a date. If there are numbers on the Fifth Avenue New York City The game sells in the range of $150. Sadly, uniforms, the game was made after 1927, as manufactured a plastic Gil Hodges died not too long after the that was the first season players had numbers bagatelle game in the late game hit the market. on the back of the uniform. The New York 1940`s. Black and white Yankees made that innovation. marbles were shot around Baseball games continue on into the the playing field. Runs 21st Century, but the majority are played The employment of a famous players’ name and outs were recorded on computers or some other electronic on a game became very popular in the 1920’s, depending on where the device. Gone are the days of the beautiful which became known as the “Golden Age of black or white marble landed. box art cover which drew the player into the Sports”. That included not just baseball, but game. Also the simple nature of playing a game football, boxing and bicycle racing. The famous In 1950’s there was a game named with dice, cards or spinners is now gone. The Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators, for the famous baseball announcer, Red days when kids passed the hot summer days was one of those players, as were Lou Gehrig, Barber’s Big League Baseball Game - ($1,700,) by playing baseball board games at home, the Babe Ruth. There was a pin ball type game Willie Mays of the New York Giants “Say Hey” beach, or cottage. We had regular leagues in using a metal ball called game “Poosh-em- Up ($1,000.) Mickey Mantle’s Big League Baseball the 1950’s when the American and National Tony”, named after Yankee great Tony Lazzeri. by Gardner, Mickey Mantle’s Action Baseball League consisted of ten teams each and only and Roger Maris’ Action Baseball by Pressman. the American and National League leader Collecting baseball games is collecting a Mantle and Maris had duelling baseball games made the World Series. But, not all is lost: snapshot of the United States in that period. in the same way that they were competitors for one of the top 50 toys that has been on the In the 1930’s prior to television, there was the the home run title. market unchanged for 50 years is still the APBA “Official Radio Baseball Game”. The best players Baseball Game. It still is right up there with of those years are featured on the front box The most valuable postwar game is the 1963- Lincoln Logs, the Jetfire balsa wood airplane cover. Many baseball card sets of that era are 64 “Challenge the Yankees” manufactured and the ant farm. valuable today due to the shortage of many of by Hasbro at $2,000. The box cover features the players’ cards. Special giveaway baseball a beautiful color scene of famous Yankee NB: The Baseball Hall of Fame located in games could be secured by sending in so many Stadium from above. It is painted in bright, Cooperstown, New York has a large Collection of baseball bubble gum wrappers or in some vibrant colors. The value is partially in the short baseball games. Usually some of the games are on instances, a set number of player cards. In production period run of the game, but the display in the Museum.

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 14 WHERE TO OPEN YOUR ANTIQUE SHOP – AND WHAT TO SELL

ne of the many benefits of our relationship with Single Entry Point The cyclical nature of antiques means that buying pieces early can be a Marketing is their online sweepstakes platform and data collection good investment for when their time comes around again. Her example: Oand analysis capabilities. Aside from offering buyers and collectors 1950s Eames chairs, so inexpensive and accessible in the 90s, are of antiques fun and interactive contests with great prizes, we are able fetching top dollar now. to learn a great deal about the audience which informs marketing and website efforts for both World Class Antiques and our dealers. Dr. Lori also recommends that you avoid “eclectic collecting” (amassing diverse, unrelated works of art or antiques) and stick to collecting a few For example, the heat map (see next page) from our Spring Sweepstakes specific items. shows the concentration of entrants across North America, useful for planning marketing campaigns, or if you’re debating about where to Buy What YOU Like open an antique shop. Based on this information, we’d place our bets on the East Coast! Geographical data allows us to segment and offer Melanie Wright from The Telegraph writes that you should only invest in targeted messaging to different people in different locations. antique pieces that you will enjoy in your home for years to come.

In addition to geographical data, we also collect information on the A spokesman for Miller’s Antiques Handbook and Price Guide tells Wright popularity of certain categories of antiques. If you had to take a guess, that “although you will no doubt have some interest in the financial what do you think the most popular response was to the question, value of your collection, this should be seen only as a bonus. Just like “What type of collectibles are you most interested to collect?” Coins! any market, fashions and tastes change over time. This means that Followed by stained and blown glass, clocks, and sports memorabilia. something that is not valuable now may become so in the future, and We were surprised to find fine art so low on the list – were you? vice versa.”

Hot or Not? Predicting Antique Trends Though you may be investing in antiques and collectibles for the financial gain, it makes sense to collect pieces you enjoy and want to The most popular response to the question, “What type of collectibles hold on to. A golden rule of antiquing, along with, buy the best you are you most interested to collect?” was coins, followed by can afford! stained and blown glass, clocks, and then sports memorabilia. Aquiring New Customers

As a buyer or antique aficionado, how do Running sweepstakes and contests helps you keep abreast of trends and decide us acquire new customers and engage our what type of antiques to buy or sell at a existing audience, while keeping their data particular time? Of course, no one can safe and private. We build our opt-in email predict the future, and there is no guarantee database this way, and gain actionable insights that an antique will appreciate, but there into the performance of the promotions are some tried and true guidelines for with in-depth, visual analytics like the collecting. Sweepstakes Entries Markers Map on the next page. Collect What’s Coming If you are a business or antiques dealer Dr. Lori, the star antiques appraiser looking to run sweepstakes and collect on the Discovery channel’s Auction this type of data from your customers Kings, says in her article Predictions & the and target audience, give Single Entry Antiques Market that when it comes to Point Marketing (singleentrypoint.com) a collecting art or antiques, her “first bit of holler. Contest campaigns create high levels advice is to collect what’s coming. What of awareness as they tend to be shared does that mean? Collect those objects virally, and Single Entry Point’s unique that are sure to be part of the next art or blend of expertise, proprietary technology, antiques revival. Trends are temporary, and intelligent application of data delivers but history and the objects that highlight incredible results. history hold their value.”

15 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE INTEREST IN ANTIQUES

Coins

Glass (blown/stained)

Clocks

Sports

Tea figurines (Red Rose/Wedgewood)

Furniture

Porcelain

Pottery

Old cars

Bottles

Trains

Key chains

Art

Sweepstakes Entries Heat Map Sweepstakes Entries Markers on Google Map VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 16 TRIP PLANNER FOR ANTIQUES ON YOUR WAY TO NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE

The Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Photo credit: Wikimedia.

17 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES.COM MAGAZINE erfect for a weekend drive, Pthis trip takes you through the Niagara region. We recommend 4 stops to some of our preferred antique markets and shops.

Your Recommended Stops Freelton Antique Market Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures Forks Road Pottery Freelton Antique Market

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2015 18 WORLD CLASS ANTIQUES

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Publisher: World Class Antiques Place of publication: Toronto, ON, Canada Numbering: Vol.1 No.1 Frequency: Bimonthly WORLDCLASSANTIQUES.COM ISSN 2369-4017